


Behind Dead Blue Eyes

by Spunky0ne



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-06-04 22:44:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15157256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunky0ne/pseuds/Spunky0ne
Summary: A deal with Kurotsuchi Mayuri places Gin's dead body in the prisoner, Aizen's possession. To what nefarious purpose will Aizen put his former comrade?





	1. Things Not Allowed to Die

Aizen Sosuke rested quietly, his body restrained in heavy black reiatsu suppressing straps that covered every inch of him, except for one eye and his nose and mouth. Given twenty-thousand years with nothing to do but ponder his misdeeds, he let his mind wander.

_I was not surprised that after helping Ichigo to end Ywach's treachery, I was simply returned here to my cell, without so much as a word of gratitude. Not that gratitude was really in order. After all, if it had served my interests better to let that monster destroy everyone, I would not have used my powers to support Ichigo and the others. I did nothing righteous, although I did overhear that Kuchiki Byakuya's house argued for some recognition to be granted to me. It surprised me a bit, since Byakuya is not known for his empathy. Still, he is known for his sense of justice. Thus, I suppose his argument makes sense._

_I don't know if anything will come of that._

A loud, echoing click brought the prisoner out of his thoughts, and he peered into the darkness in front of him as the tall, somehow familiar looking silhouette of a man stepped in through the doorway. The door closed behind him, and the man shuffled forward slowly, his movements lacking the fluidity of normal walking. As the man moved closer, Aizen spotted a tray in his hands. Scents of cooked meat and savory spices made his mouth water and his long deprived stomach growled and clenched expectantly.

_Interesting. So, Byakuya was able to convince the council to make some gesture of gratitude. Such a nice show of manners, but all it is, is a show. The noble families make a production of having good manners and modeling good behavior, but they are really a very corrupt group. The ones like Byakuya, who actually have better manners and a sense of justice, are rare. I am almost sorry I chose his sister to use for my plans…but that is water under the bridge. I will be glad for the respite from hunger._

_And this one who approaches…he presents an opportunity I will not overlook._

A narrowed brown eye studied the tall, slightly stooped form that ambled towards him.

_Something is wrong. I sense nothing from this man. No reiatsu is moving through his spirit centers. He moves methodically, as if not under his own power._

_I did hear that the quincies had turned some of the taichos into zombies. I suspect that Kurotsuchi Mayuri would not miss an opportunity to learn everything he could about that ability._

_So, now he uses the dead as menials, here in Muken? I suppose it does make sense, given that a zombie would be impossible to reason with or to convince, and would have no powers I could exploit. Yet, although that is true…_

His thoughts were derailed as the man stopped in front of him and Aizen's eyes were finally able to see well enough to take in the familiar silvery hair, slitted eyes and thin frame. The man set the tray of food on a table that had been placed in front of the prisoner, then he sat down in a chair opposite Aizen and gathered a forkful of the food, opening his eyes slightly as he delivered the hot, savory morsel.

A chill shot through the prisoner's insides at the emptiness in Gin's rarely revealed eyes.

_There is nothing but emptiness there._

_Such cruelty for a man who, while he did break the rules and laws of society, did also position himself well to try to take me down for them. Well, I suppose it wasn't for them, and they sort of figured that out, didn't they, Gin? It makes me wonder what they would have done for you if you had killed me, or at least lived. Judging by my own situation, they aren't the kind to let the good blot out serious wickedness, so I suppose we have our answer, don't we?_

_Why does this trouble me?_

_This man tried to kill me. He couldn't, of course, because I had anticipated him, and had become one with the hogyoku by the time he made his attempt. And I imagine part of my reaction is because, while he did aim to kill me, Gin played an undeniably critical role in forcing my body to evolve out of fear of the growing threat he represented, before I joined with the hogyoku. Yes, I do owe Gin some gratitude…at least enough to free him of this horrid atrocity Kurotsuchi has made of him. They must know that my reiatsu would be able to completely destroy his body._

_They simply do not care whether I accept the food and let him go on this way, or lose the privilege of eating by obliterating the bearer of the food. So, it seems this is a kind of game. Just the kind of game that damned Kurotsuchi loves. I'm sure he's watching us closely. I suppose that if I want to test how useful Gin could be to me, I have to put on a bit of a show for him._

"Gin," he said quietly, accepting the bite of food that he was offered, "are you able to speak?"

The dead taicho gave no sign of having heard, but kept offering him measured bites of food and swallows of water.

"So, whoever did this to you did not make you like the other ones I heard about? You are moving, but you have no consciousness? No will of your own? What a barbaric thing to do. But, you don't feel anything either, do you? You have no idea how you are being used. Like a lovely puppet on strings, you move as they tell you. How unlike the man I used to know."

Aizen's lips curved into a devilish smile.

"I see they reattached your arm. I imagine that if they wanted you to be able to serve more effectively, that was necessary. The hole I tore in your chest is gone too. There is no sign at all of how agonizing your death was. You are a lovely doll, aren't you, Gin? But if you were conscious, you would be seething at how they toy with you. It's just…evil. Cruel.

You thought I was a monster for doing what I did to Rangiku. I think you just didn't understand that they were hurting her and every other commoner in Soul Society with their injustices, with their prejudices. I would have sacrificed Rangiku, you and anyone else to reach that goal. So much do I hate the wickedness of the noble class and the empty space in the heavens, that I would have sacrificed anyone and anything to end it.

Do you still think what I did was wrong, Gin? I did hurt Rangiku, but I left her alive. I did seek to destroy the prisoner-king on the throne and take it, myself, but how else was this travesty going to be stopped?"

He stopped himself and gave his dead former comrade a rueful smile.

"Ah, I forgot for a moment that you cannot feel anything, so it doesn't bother you at all. Nothing bothers you anymore. Nothing makes you feel."

_Except for my power, ne Gin?_

He continued to accept warm bites of food and sips of water, at the same time, very slowly allowing a small amount of his reiatsu to seep into the dead man's body, honing in on his sense receptors and bringing them under his control.

_You begin to feel it now, don't you, my old friend? The icy cold of the stale air and darkness that is Muken. You smell the stench of the unclean who are kept like dread animals here. You hear their cries in your opened ears. You taste the bitterness of hunger, even though your body no longer needs the food, and your eyes…yes, your very beautiful, deceptive blue eyes can now look into mine._

Aizen smiled as Gin's empty eyes rose to meet his.

_But that is not all, is it, my little fox?_

He sucked in a slow, aroused breath as the deadness left Gin's gemlike blue orbs for a moment, and full cognizance registered. He was sure a soft gasp escaped him as a single large tear appeared in the corner of one eye, then overflowed onto Gin's face.

_Everyone who learned of my power suffered from a little misconception that most people live under. You see, we are not confined to five physical senses. There is another that drives us too. All of the senses together like this create awareness._

_Even though he is dead, Gin just became aware of the cruelty that has been done to him._

Aizen blinked in surprise at hearing three very slow claps, then footsteps that approached. Kurotsuchi Mayuri approached Gin and examined him wordlessly for a moment. A gloved fingertip captured the falling tear, and he studied it closely.

"Interesting," the twelfth division taicho observed, tilting his head and patting Gin's face, then slapping it hard and watching the dead man wince, "How very like you, Sosuke, to find a way to make a man suffer, even after he is dead. But, I think you understand that taking over Gin's senses will not help you to escape. After all, even if you can make him want to escape, he can't control his own body. And your power doesn't extend to controlling his motor skills, does it? I, personally, don't care how much you make the man suffer, but I'll remind you that he is bringing your food and drink in every day. You should avoid damaging him in any way that will stop him from doing that, unless you decide that you don't care about eating anymore."

"Oh, I am enjoying the food and drink," Aizen replied, smirking, "and the company is rather enjoyable, despite Gin's obvious inability to hold a conversation. Can you program him to do things other than feeding me?"

"Of course I can," Kurotsuchi answered, glancing back at the cell door and touching a button on a remote control he held, to make the door swing closed, "The question is, why would I do that? What's in it for me?"

Aizen frowned curiously.

"What is it that you think I could offer you?" he asked, eyeing Mayuri curiously, "I am a poor, defenseless prisoner with no access to any powers that would be useful to you or me."

Mayuri arched a skeptical brow.

"What about that thing in your chest?" he asked pointedly.

"You know as well as I do that the hogyoku is fused with me and can't be separated from me."

"Oh, I think the jury's still out on whether it can be separated from you, but even if we accept, for now, that's true…you still know, just as Urahara Kisuke does, exactly how the hogyoku was made. Each of you made one. Tell me how, and I will program Gin to do pretty much whatever you want. Sexual pleasures? Torture himself in front of you? Grovel for forgiveness for his treacherous betrayal of you? Done. Yes, I can even make him speak to you, though he won't have much of a vocabulary. What do you say, Sosuke? Are you interested?"

Aizen smiled warmly.

"No."

Instantly, the joviality left Kurotsuchi's dark eyes and his expression shifted to anger.

"Why not? What do you have to lose by sharing the knowledge with me? After all, there's no guarantee that I can succeed at making one, right?

Aizen shook his head firmly.

"You don't want to make another hogyoku," he said firmly, "Don't you understand? In many ways, the hogyoku was a failure. I did not see that at first, but I have had time to go over everything that happened, and it did, indeed, fail to make me strong enough to defeat Ichigo and Urahara."

"Hmm," Kurotsuchi huffed skeptically.

"However, I do think you and I can still come to an agreement. Gin is a lovely distraction for me, and I have thought of something that might interest you."

"What is that?"

_I've got you._

"I may not be willing to divulge how the hogyoku was made…as the knowledge in irresponsible hands would surely mean the end of the three worlds, and we wouldn't want that."

"Oh, surely not," Mayuri deadpanned, "How very human of you. I think I'm disappointed."

"My apologies, but what do you think about this? I could meet regularly with you here, and you need merely radiate in your being, something that you want. It must be something that, given time and the right conditions, you could achieve. Remember that, even though the hogyoku's full power is repressed, it has always had the innate ability to make the desires of those around it, come true. You may test the ability, if you wish. Think of something you can't do, but that would be possible, given the right conditions. If the test is successful, you can use the orb to gain your desires, while also fulfilling mine."

Aizen blinked curiously as Mayuri laughed and his angry look faded.

"What is so amusing?" he asked.

"You are," the other taicho replied, shaking his head, "I have already conducted the test, and it seems to work. I sought a way to gain access to the hogyoku's power, and you, who would previously not agree to grant such access to anyone, have granted it to me. This is good, very, very good. So…what would you like for a present, Sosuke?"

"Ah," Aizen sighed, looking at Gin appraisingly, "I am afraid that my initial needs are about as boring as they can get, but…I do miss physical contact. Could you possibly warm him up and program him to pleasure me?"

"Oh…"

"Wait," Aizen warned him, "He needs only to uncover the necessary apparatus. We are to be monitored only by you. And no one is to know of this arrangement. If anyone learned of it, you can imagine. I would have people coming out of the woodwork, trying to convince me to help them."

"We wouldn't want that," Kurosuchi snickered, "We also wouldn't want the powers that be to meddle in our agreement. Very well. Consider it done. I will have Gin programmed for you, and from now on, when he delivers your food, he will also deliver relief from your physical loneliness. But I will be back to you with more requests."

"Of course."

"We have a deal, then?" Mayuri asked.

"I won't offer to shake on it, as I cannot extend a hand."

"I'll take you at your word."

"One might call that foolish."

"Not when I control everything around you," Mayuri said warningly, "Remember that I can do literally anything to you and you can't stop me. If it isn't killing you, then I can do it. So, behave, or I may drop you in a vat of acid and see how long and painful your regeneration is."

"You're scary."

"That's not even the worst I can think of," the other man laughed.

"Oh, not you," Aizen agreed, "Your cruelty knows no bounds, and neither does your ambition."

Mayuri moved in close and pointed a warning finger at the bound prisoner.

"Just remember, I won't hesitate to make you pay at the first hint of a doublecross!"

"To be sure," Aizen said smoothly, "I will not forget."

"I guess I had better go and fix your sex toy up for you. You're right that I'm a little disappointed. I thought that the great Aizen Sosuke would ask for something, I don't know, more wicked."

"Gin would probably think that this is pretty wicked," Aizen commented.

"Huh, too bad that he can't really be sad about it. The man was vermin. I don't know what you ever saw in him."

Aizen smiled.

"Maybe that is why I killed him."

Mayuri laughed, then turned his attention to the zombie taicho.

"Come on, Gin. Time to get you ready to be Aizen taicho's little playmate."

Gin stood, but clumsily knocked the tray to the floor. Kurotsuchi let out a disgusted breath and kicked Gin in the side, throwing him roughly to the floor of the cell.

"Don't break that," Aizen said dulcetly, "It belongs to me, right?"

Mayuri laughed again and dragged Gin's limp body out of the room.

_What a fool._

_If I fill Gin with my transcendent reiatsu through sexual release…_

… _I believe I can revive him…_


	2. We Meet Again, Little Blossom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aizen meets someone he remembers from his past.

A solemn looking male receptionist looked up from his desk as the doors to Central 46 opened, admitting the handsome, steel-eyed, raven-haired leader of the Kuchiki clan, and taicho of the Gotei 13's sixth division. On the Kuchiki head's left stood Urahara Kisuke, former taicho of the twelfth division, and at Byakuya's right, stood a slightly younger member of the Kuchiki household, a slender, sapphire-eyed man who wore the uniform of the Kuchiki house guards, but also wore the marker of a house healer.

"Kuchiki taicho," the receptionist greeted Byakuya, "we were told to expect you. Your visit has been cleared. If you will follow the left hallway. Take the lift down and check in with the guards at the check point."

Byakuya nodded briefly and led his two companions into the hallway. Kisuke waited until they were out of the receptionist's hearing, then he turned a pale grey eye on the Kuchiki leader.

"So, Byakuya-san, are you going to tell me now why you asked me along on this visit? You've been kind of quiet about that. I mean, I get that you want to check in and make sure that our ol' buddy, Aizen, got the privileges you suggested to the council, but you could've had anyone come and do that. Why are you here, and why did you bring me and…?"

He glanced at the young man on the noble's other side and saw a little blush rise on his face.

"This is my cousin, Tetsuya," Byakuya said, glancing at the blue-eyed man.

"Your personal bodyguard and healer," Kisuke recalled, "I wondered why the reiatsu felt familiar, but I didn't recognize his face."

"Tetsuya is always close to me, but he is usually not seen," Byakuya informed the curiously looking shopkeeper.

"You want Aizen to know you aren't screwing around, here," Kisuke concluded.

"Tetsuya is here in his capacity as a protector, and as a healer," the Kuchiki leader explained, "I received word that Aizen's wounds from the final battle of the war have not healed."

Kisuke nodded.

"He has regeneration, but that would be inhibited by the reiatsu suppressing bonds, meaning that his regeneration would occur slowly, and much more painfully," the shopkeeper concluded, "But, honestly, why do you care about that? He's caused your family a lot of trouble, ne? Especially Rukia."

"You also caused Rukia a fair amount of trouble," the noble reminded him, his tone still calm, but slightly accusing, "by placing the hogyoku within her and making her a target for Aizen to use in his plans."

"Yeah," Kisuke agreed, smiling ruefully, "I did apologize to her and to Ichigo for that."

Byakuya gave him a disapproving look.

"None of that is important right now," he said shortly, "The simple fact is that the injuries that man sustained were a result of his efforts to aid Ichigo and Renji in defeating the quincy tyrant. At minimum, he should have been completely healed before being returned to Muken. That he was not seems a reflection of the one placed in charge of Aizen's unconscious body at the time of his recovery by our forces."

"Right," Kisuke said, smirking, "My good ol' buddy, Mayuri. I'm sure he had fun with that, and I'm pretty sure he took pleasure in knowing Aizen would suffer. But I have to ask you again, Byakuya-san, why do you care at all about that? Anybody'd think you'd also want Aizen to suffer for the pile of shitty things he did to everyone, including you and your family."

"As well as my fukutaicho," Byakuya added, frowning, "But if we all conducted ourselves based on our wants and needs, ignoring the rules and morality of our society, then how would we be any better than Aizen Sosuke? He assisted Ichigo in stopping Ywach. He deserves proper care as he serves his sentence in full. So, you will examine him to determine his needs and Tetsuya will heal him."

Kisuke gave Tetsuya another glance, then looked back at Byakuya.

"You know that Orihime could handle those wounds in a second," he suggested, "and you wouldn't have to risk a family member, especially one who's obviously close to you."

Byakuya gave the shopkeeper a measured look.

"Inoue Orihime spent a great deal of time in Aizen's care in Las Noches. You should know very well it would be far too upsetting for her, and dangerous for us, to expose the girl to him like that."

"You've got a point there," Kisuke conceded.

"Tetsuya is a talented healer, and he has never met Aizen, so he has also never been hypnotized by Kyoka Suigetsu," Byakuya explained, "In addition, we have taken precautions, so that if Aizen takes the opportunity to attack any of us, Tetsuya's power will activate and protect us."

A sly smile snaked across the shopkeeper's face.

"Well, that sounds like an interesting power," he acknowledged, "Are you going to tell me how it works?"

"No," Byakuya answered in a clipped tone.

"Ah, right," Kisuke chuckled, "As your personal bodyguard, Tetsuya needs to keep his powers secret, huh?"

Byakuya glanced at the shopkeeper, but declined to answer.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you in person, Tetsuya," Kisuke said cordially, "I've felt your reiatsu plenty of times around Byakuya-san, but you're pretty good at staying out of sight."

"Thank you, Urahara-san," Tetsuya answered quietly.

"You can just call me, Kisuke."

The three men slowed as they reached the guarded lift.

"Kuchiki taicho, Urahara-san," one of the guards greeted them, "We were told to expect you. And your companion is?"

"Kuchiki Tetsuya," Byakuya replied, "He is my personal bodyguard and healer."

"Of course, sir. You may proceed."

The three headed onto the lift and began to descend through the prison levels. Kisuke noticed immediately that sudden change in Tetsuya's eyes and the presence of a mist of sweat that broke out on his pale flesh as the lift carried them down.

"You don't like this place," he said sympathetically, "Me either."

Kisuke looked on in muted surprise as Byakuya's hand touched his cousin's for a moment, and instantly, the younger Kuchiki seemed to settle again.

They were met at the bottom level, by another set of guards, one of whom led them to a heavy iron door.

"I was told to give you three keys," the guard informed them, "That's the most we can give at a time, for everyone's safety."

"We need to examine Aizen's entire body," Byakuya objected.

"It's the council's order, sir," the guard said, flinching at the press of Byakuya's thickening reiatsu, "B-but you can certainly free portions to check them, and then reset them and move on to the other areas. Just no more than three at a time."

"Very well."

The guard's hands shook slightly as he unlocked the door and opened it for them. He gave Tetsuya an unsettled look as the younger Kuchiki breathed a soft command, and his blue eyes glowed eerily for a moment. He extended a slim hand, and a large blob of what appeared to be water formed beside the door.

"Please do not disturb this," Tetsuya warned the guard, "It will allow the three of us to escape the chamber quickly if Aizen becomes unexpectedly violent."

"S-sure, right," the guard answered anxiously, stepping back.

He watched as the three entered the cell, then he closed the cell door behind them. Curious, he moved closer to the odd blob that still hung in the air, next to the closed door. He extended a fingertip, but quivered as he came close to touching the blob, and withdrew his hand.

"Creepy," he whispered, shaking his head and returning to his post.

Inside the chamber, Byakuya raised a kido light and led the other two men forward. They reached the steel structure that held the locks controlling Aizen's restraints, and Byakuya employed the keys he had been given. Ahead of them, the bonds on one of the prisoner's eyes, his face and his mouth released. Aizen breathed in deeply and blinked curiously, turning one brown eye on them. Then, he smiled.

"Byakuya. Kisuke," he greeted the two men.

His eye fell on Tetsuya next.

"And this is…?"

"We are here to examine your injuries from the conflict and to heal any that remain," Byakuya said shortly.

"I see."

He watched closely as Tetsuya moved forward alongside Kisuke and Byakuya hung back to work the control keys.

"Give me his left arm and left torso," Kisuke directed the Kuchiki leader, "You can cover up his mouth and face, I guess."

Byakuya adjusted the position of the keys, and black straps covered Aizen's face and mouth, but left his one eye uncovered. The straps on his left arm and the left side of his chest peeled back to reveal barely changed wounds. Kisuke gave the prisoner a look of warning.

"Don't get any funny ideas," he said in a low, threatening tone, "If you attempt to attack Tetsuya or me, we'll be protected from you. And Tetsuya hasn't been hypnotized by your Kyoka Suigetsu, so he'll notice what you're doing, even if I don't. Tetsuya is going to heal your wounds. Just sit there and behave yourself. Pretty much everyone here doesn't give a damn if you get healed or not. You're lucky that Byakuya has a few more scruples than the rest of us, or we'd just let you hurt for a good long while."

Kisuke studied the still raw wounds briefly, then motioned for Tetsuya to move closer. Aizen focused his eye on the younger man, and caught his breath inwardly as he remembered.

_His identity carefully concealed by Kyoka Suigetsu's power, he followed a black-eyed Kuchiki cousin past the iron gates of a secreted prison, hidden in thick forest, in an uninhabited section of the mid Rukongai. The man beside him led him through a dark corridor, then through a better lit hallway, to a small infirmary._

" _I was told that you have some knowledge of the breeder males," the black-eyed man said, looking at him mistrustfully._

" _I have studied them, yes," Aizen confirmed, "and you think you have found one? Or have you found a natural descendant?"_

" _He may be a descendant. I need to know if he is pregnant, and if he is, I want you to tell me if the brat is mine."_

" _Ah, that would be awkward for you," Aizen acknowledged, "A pureblood son fouling his lineage by mating with a mixed blood and a breeder male at that."_

" _You are being well paid for your silence," the black-eyed man warned him, "You keep your mouth shut about this."_

" _Of course, Orochi," Aizen answered, "And what do you wish for me to do, depending on what I find?"_

" _If the little abomination is pregnant, you need to conceal it."_

" _Whether or not the child is yours?" Aizen asked._

_Orochi scowled._

" _Yes. But if it is mine, you need to conceal that too. I don't want it getting around that we've made any more of these mixed bloods than there are. Better they think that his cellmate did it to him."_

" _Although, breeder males are executed immediately when discovered, aren't they?" Aizen asked._

" _Yeah," Orochi said, glancing at one of the treatment room doors, "but Tetsuya won't be. Byakuya's making his move on the prison soon. I need Tetsuya protected from discovery until then."_

" _Of course. I will take care of it."_

" _Through that door."_

_Aizen nodded and walked to the indicated door. He passed through it and let it close behind him before turning eyes on the thin, scared looking youth who looked up at him through frightened sapphire colored eyes._

" _Tetsuya," he addressed the restrained prisoner, "my name is Miki."_

" _Are…are you a scientist?" Tetsuya asked in a quivering voice, "Or, are you a…?"_

" _I am a healer," Aizen said kindly, smiling at him, "Orochi asked me to examine you."_

_Tetsuya started to relax, but then he spotted the sword that had appeared in the healer's hand, and was being held, tip down, in front of him._

" _Don't be afraid. Just have a look at my sword."_

Under the heavy bonds, Aizen's lips curved into a wicked smile.

_Yes, we have met before, haven't we, Kuchiki Tetsuya?_

He watched silently as Tetsuya's hands extended and blue light curled around the ugly wounds. Within moments, the stinging pain of the wounds faded, and the gaping hole in the left of his chest first filled in with blue liquid, then very slowly regenerated.

"You okay?" Kisuke asked Tetsuya, "Looks like this is putting a little strain on you."

"It's fine," Tetsuya assured him, "The heavy bonds, even though they are not covering the wounds, are still trying to suppress the reiatsu around them. This is slowing my ability."

"What method are you using?" Aizen asked curiously, using his reiatsu to speak, as his mouth was still covered, "That is not a typical healing method."

"I'd say that's not any of your business," Kisuke said brusquely, "Just sit there like a good little prisoner and be quiet. The grown ups are busy here."

Aizen's eye narrowed and peered more intently at Tetsuya.

_You have been under the influence of my Kyoka Suigetsu, so your mind is open to me._

Aizen breathed slowly and his brown eye drifted closed. As Tetsuya's hands hovered over his wounds, Aizen's mind reached through the connection, searching the young man's memory.

_You have blossomed beautifully, haven't you?_ he mused, _When we met before, your powers were sealed away, not allowed to develop. But I see that Byakuya trained you, himself, to use your abilities. Yours is an elemental zanpkauto, commanding water. When you use this power for fighting, you create waterforms, which you use to move yourself or others on the battlefield, much like chess pieces. Applied to healing, your waterform covers wounds or takes on the shape of missing limbs or organs and recreates them. Fascinating._

_And useful._

He opened his eye again, watching as Tetsuya's power replaced his missing arm.

_Tetsuya_ , he spoke into the young man's mind, _you feel them, don't you? The other wounds on my body?_

_Tell them._

"Byakuya-sama," Tetsuya said, looking up from his task, "I sense that there are other wounds on the prisoner's body…and that they were sustained after his return to Muken."

"Huh," Kisuke huffed, "Mayuri's been having some fun with you, eh?"

"Heal them," Byakuya said, covering the areas Tetsuya had finished healing, and moving slowly from one region to the next, allowing his cousin to heal the raw gashes and deep bruises on Aizen's back and limbs, "Unacceptable."

"They are torturing him," Tetsuya whispered, giving Byakuya a haunted look.

Byakuya's expression darkened and his reiatsu thickened fitfully.

"That bothers you?" Aizen inquired, "But I suppose it does betray your sense of justice. Still, there isn't much you can do about it. They are cowards who have learned that if they stay back and do not touch me, they can torment me from a distance."

Byakuya sucked in a piqued breath, but gave no answer. He watched silently as Tetsuya finished healing the prisoner, then he set the locks back in place, securing Aizen. Without a word, he led the other two men out of the cell, where he found Mayuri scolding one of the guards.

"No one told me about this unscheduled visit!" he steamed, "I was placed in direct control of Aizen's care…"

"And you have failed to make sure that the prisoner was fully secured and properly cared for," Byakuya said sternly.

"He's been secured just fine!" Kurotsuchi snapped.

"Then, you are aware of the ones who have been sneaking into his cell to torture him and leave him suffering under his bonds, which, as you know, slow his regenerating ability?" Byakuya inquired calmly.

"What? Ridicuous! There's been no torture. No one is allowed in that cell…"

"You've done a poor job of monitoring entry here," Byakuya accused him, "and if people can slip in unnoticed, who is to say that they cannot be influenced by him and help him escape?"

"Preposterous!" the enraged twelfth divison taicho shouted.

"Is it also preposterous that you are conducting unauthorized experiments on Aizen?" Byakuya asked pointedly.

"Don't you dare accuse me, you…!"

"I will be conducting personal reviews of Aizen's containment," Byakuya informed his agitated comrade, "and monitoring his condition. These reports will be forwarded to the sages and judges here, for their perusal. Don't think, for a moment, that you will be allowed to continue this unchecked."

"Yeah," Kisuke snickered, "So, why don't you go back to my old lab, there, and play with your toys, okay?"

"This isn't the end of this, Byakuya!" Kurotsuchi hissed furiously, "You've overstepped this time. Kyoraku sotaicho…"

"Kyoraku sotaicho knows that, as the leader of the greatest of the noble houses, my word carries more weight than that of a mere peasant taicho, and a former criminal at that," Byakuya said sternly.

"We'll see about that," the twelfth division taicho huffed, turning away in disgust, "Nemu! Get over here. We're leaving."

Byakuya turned to his cousin, who reached out to touch the watery blob he had left outside the cell, causing it to burst and splash to the floor.

"Tetsuya, I will need you to accompany me on my visits here. We have to be careful, ourselves, not to give that man the slightest opening. He has not hypnotized you and he cannot while in those bonds. I know that, given your history, this place unsettles you, but…"

"I will be fine," Tetsuya assured him, glancing back at Aizen's cell door, "I will assist you as you wish."

"Thank you."

In his cell, under his bonds, Aizen laughed softly,

"No…thank _you_ , Byakuya."


	3. I Need to Breathe to Curse You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aizen attempts to bring Gin back to life.

Absent humming mingled with clinking and clunking sounds as Kurotsuchi Mayuri leaned over Gin's bared body, first repairing two ribs that had broken upon the zombie taicho being kicked by his demonic handler, then moving on to attach electrodes to his temples and tapping furiously at a keyboard for several minutes.

"You know, I'm almost sorry to see this time I'm spending with you pass," the twelfth divison taicho commented, "You've been an interesting research subject."

He let out a little sarcastic laugh.

"And it hasn't been bad, being the only one in the three worlds who could punish you for your sins. It's only too bad that Tosen was obliterated in that battle awhile back. I'd love to have him in here too. But, my crowning glory would be to end that infernal transcendent monster out there. By kami, I will find a way to carve the hogyoku out of his chest and make it mine! That should make you happy, _ne_ Gin?"

Mayuri paused, s little cruel smirk coming to his lips.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot. The dead don't feel…except when you're with _him_ , right? He made you feel. He made you, a dead person, cry. What a devil he is, isn't he? I may have animated your lifeless carcass, but he took pleasure in opening your eyes to just how dreadful and humiliating your existence is now. I'm sure he'll make you suffer more than I ever could, whispering curses and taunts into your ear as he uses what's left of you to pleasure himself. What an ungodly _bastard_ that man is. He makes me look like a saint. There now, your bones are healed, and I think I've got your speech centers repaired. Let's just fire them up and see what you have to say, all right? I do warn you, the first words out of your mouth are probably going to be whatever you were thinking at the moment you died, so be glad that Aizen isn't here, making you feel while you say them."

He touched the activation key and Gin's mouth moved, his voice croaking out the first words he'd spoken since his death.

" _G-give…it…b-back_!"

"Hmm," Mayuri said, rubbing his chin and studying Gin's expressionless face, "I see. I wouldn't be able to understand what you are talking about, if I hadn't mastered the art of extracting information from a dead body by stimulating certain portions of the dead brain with electrical impulses to collect their stored data. Yes, Gin, you have no secrets anymore. I probably know more about you than you know about yourself. I know about your pitiful childhood in the Rukongai, and how you met and took a liking to that red-haired chatterbox. I know how Aizen stole something from her, and how you hated him for that. But, I know something that you stored in a place so secret that you couldn't find it, yourself. Not that you would have wanted to know it. Maybe, that's why you blinded yourself to it…pushing it deep into the slimy corners of your moronic little brain. After all…how would you have been able to try to kill Aizen Sosuke…while also having fallen head over heels in love with him?"

Mayuri gave an exaggerated sigh.

"That was foolish. And it was costly, wasn't it? Now, you're just a little dancing puppet, aren't you? Your master pulls the strings and you dance, don't you, Gin?"

"Mayuri-sama?"

The twelfth division taicho startled at the sound, and his teeth clenched.

"NEMU! What in blazes are you doing, opening the door to this lab, so anyone can see what I've got in here?"

" _Gomen nasai_ ," his fukutaicho said in a deadpan voice.

"SHUT THE DAMNED DOOR!" Mayuri roared.

The young woman pushed the door closed, then bowed and delivered her message.

"Kyoraku sotaicho sent a hell butterfly, summoning us to his office immediately," Nemu explained.

"Gah!" Mayuri groaned, slamming his hands down on the table in front of him, "How am I ever supposed to get anything done? Doesn't that slobbering drunk have a bottle to drown in somewhere? Though, he has more time for sticking his huge nose into my business, now that his white-haired partner in crime passed on. Fine. I'll be there in a minute, after I finish prepping this one for his debut as Aizen Sosuke's new toy."

He bent over Gin again, making a final adjustment, then touched several keys on his laptop.

Gin sat up and opened his blue eyes wide for a moment and looking around until they found Mayuri and looked at him questioningly.

"Go on. Get out of here. Your master is waiting."

Mayrui paused and gave him a dark look.

"Don't let anyone see you on the way in. Take the secret entrance."

Wordlessly, Gin rose and slipped silently out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kisuke left his guest room and stepped out into Kuchiki Manor gardens, looking around and trying to sense Byakuya's presence. He sensed the noble was in his study and conversing with his sister and fukutaicho.

_Ah, time for a walk and a little bit of thinking. Damn, I should have taken Torio up on his offer to let me use the big bathing chamber. I don't need the bath exactly, but I think better the more relaxed I am._

He breathed in and out slowly as he walked along the meandering pathway, enjoying the bright colors of the flowers and the soft touch of falling petals that brushed against the exposed flesh of his face and hands. Heading out the back gate, he stepped onto the forest lined trail that wound around a bit before coming to the top of a large, sakura dotted cliff and rushing waterfall. He found the set of switchbacks that led downward and started along it. He was halfway down when he spotted warm looking steam billowing, where the waterfall hit an extended lip, halfway down. Amidst the curls of steam, a young man stood, naked, under the fall of water, his bright blue eyes visible, even from still quite a distance. Water splashed down, riling misbehaving strands of raven colored hair, then spilling onto slim, muscular shoulders, sliding down the curve of his back and dribbling onto his sinfully soft looking round bottom. He was sure the younger man had to have seen him there, but Tetsuya continued to bathe, seemingly oblivious to the approach of the Karakura scientist. Kisuke put on his best smile and flash stepped to a dry spot on the edge of the stone outcropping.

"Well, good morning, Tetsuya-san," he greeted the blue-eyed man, "What are you doing out here?"

"Good morning, Urahara-san," Tetsuya answered, turning to face Kisuke and unabashedly offering the man a lovely frontal view of the young man's shapely, pale breasts, pert, pink nipples, and his slender torso that drew the shopkeeper's eyes downward to the nest of black curls and the blushing treasure of soft, luscious genitalia nestled within, "I think you can see that I am bathing."

"Yeah, I can see that," Kisuke chuckled, "But, I know that Byakuya lets you use his really big bathing chamber. I've been in there. It's breathtaking. And don't you have an attendant who bathes you? Koji, right?"

"You are a curious man," Tetsuya said quietly.

Kisuke shrugged and his smile warmed.

"Scientist."

"Hmm," Tetsuya mused, "I don't really like scientists."

"You don't?" Kisuke said, his smile becoming a smirk, "Why's that?"

Tetsuya's blue eyes blinked slowly.

"I can explain, but you'll need to take your clothes off and come closer."

"Take my clothes off?" Kisuke repeated, tilting his head slightly.

"So that they don't get wet," Tetsuya reasoned.

"Ah, right," Kisuke said, looking around, "O-kay…"

Tetsuya turned slightly away, continuing to run soapy hands over his slender body as Kisuke removed his clothing and moved to join him.

"You've forgotten to remove your hat," Tetsuya observed, giving him a sideways glance.

"Nope. I just don't care if it gets a little wet. I have standards, you know. I don't remove my hat on the first date."

"We are not dating," Tetsuya said, blushing, "I told you. I don't like scientists."

"Right," Kisuke said, moving closer, "You said you'd tell me why, if I undressed and came over here, so…why?"

Tetsuya turned to fully face him, averting his eyes slightly as the scientist looked more closely and caught his breath at the sight of a number of very pale scars on the young man's torso and arms.

"Damn it," Kisuke muttered, his smile fading, "That's right. I was banished to Karakura Town by the time Byakuya led the raid on that prison you were in. Sorry, Tetsuya."

"It's fine," Tetsuya assured him, "Most people outside of the noble families don't even know the prison existed. We were warned not to speak of it."

"The elders of the clans don't like anything to interfere with their pride," the Karakura scientist huffed softly, "their self-image."

Tetsuya sighed and closed his eyes.

"I thought that the physical and sexual abuse that we were put to was bad, but that does not hold a candle to what the scientists did when they used us for their experiments."

Tetsuya shivered and shut his eyes more tightly as he was gripped by a sudden recollection.

_Soft restraints kept him from moving, and the kind looking man's sword seemed to shimmer before his eyes, slowly blinding him. He could still hear as the man moved forward, and he could feel the cool fingers that touched his chest and belly, then slid down to touch the area over his sealed spirit core, a few inches below his navel. The man's voice sounded again, echoing slightly as his hold over Tetsuya's senses peaked._

" _These men have no idea what you really are," he intoned quietly, "or they would have already killed you."_

_He leaned closer, making Tetsuya shiver under his hands as he sent his reiatsu into the area and read the effect._

" _Do you know that the truth about the breeder males is not just a story about the noble clans being desperate to survive after the destruction of the first quincy war a thousand years ago?"_

_The man laughed softly._

" _I'm sorry for lying to you before about being a healer. I admit, Tetsuya, I am a scientist, and I am very interested in what your body can tell me. You see, I found the information that your ancestors did not want seen. I know the truth of how they made the first breeder males."_

_The scientist's hand spread out on Tetsuya's slightly rounded belly._

" _To abandon gender, they needed to touch upon a power much higher than their own. And, as you know, true gods are genderless, Tetsuya. They can be whatever they want. The scientists of the great clans realized this, and they borrowed a bit of transcendent reiatsu from the king that they held, trapped within that crystal prison. Exposed to this bit, the young males they chose became something like the living world's mythical demigods. They could have children with anyone. But…there was more to them than that."_

_Tetsuya stiffened, and a hard scream escaped him as something pierced his body, sinking deeply into his spirit core and stinging fiercely as it suctioned something out of him._

" _You see, they passed a little bit of their transcendence on to their offspring. When they realized this, the clan elders immediately banned the practice of making breeder males. Then, when they realized that some of the male offspring were natural breeder males, they were horrified. You've heard about the massacre of the breeder males and their male offspring, I'm sure. That's why your wicked cousin, who fathered your child, is going to such lengths to protect you. As much as he professes to hate you, he doesn't want you dead. Luckily for you, I don't want you dead either. I will protect you, as your cousin has asked, but I have my own reasons for doing so."_

_Tetsuya panted and sobbed piteously, his chest heaving as the invading needle was slowly withdrawn._

" _I'm sure that, being of the Kuchiki family, you must know of the man named Urahara. I have been perusing his research…not the research everyone knows about, but the secret research that was confiscated when I had him framed for creating the vizards. It was the dying body of a female descendant of a long dead breeder male that informed him about the mistake the elders made. You see, the transcendent reiatsu of the original breeder males didn't just go to the male offspring. The females who carried the reiatsu simply weren't noticed for having it. They sometimes developed strong powers, but no one realized that they were also carrying on the tradition of their slaughtered brothers, sharing that reiatsu with their offspring. This is why there are still some natural breeder males. This is why you exist."_

_Tetsuya felt a gentle touch on his forehead and the sharp pain in his body began to fade, along with his consciousness._

" _Don't worry. I will protect you, as your cousin has asked. After all, you have given me a critical ingredient that will help me to construct something monumental. Thank you, Tetsuya. I hope that we meet again someday."_

Tetsuya gasped and shivered as he snapped suddenly out of the memory.

"Whoa!" Kisuke said, taking hold of Tetsuya's arms to steady him, "Are you all right? You seemed to go away for a minute, there."

"My apologies. I have flashbacks sometimes," Tetsuya replied, running wet hands over his flushed face, "I don't remember after, what they were about, but it makes the scars throb…especially this one," he said, pointing to one over his spirit core.

"I'm the one who's sorry, Tetsuya. I hope I haven't offended you."

Tetsuya was silent for a moment, then he looked up at Kisuke and continued.

"You asked me why I was out here," he reminded the shopkeeper, reaching up to turn his head so that Kisuke saw the sweeping view of the blue lake and tranquil meadow stretched out below them.

Two birds spread out their wings, floating on the breeze that bent the thick grasses and made the branches of the trees sway, loosing swirls of pink petals.

"Beautiful," Kisuke whispered, "Stunning."

He peeked at Tetsuya out of the corner of his eye.

"The scenery's lovely too."

Tetsuya's breath caught and he started to flash step away.

"Hey, don't run off," Kisuke chided him, taking hold of his wrist.

Tetsuya's body disappeared in a splash of water, and he reappeared on the dry edge of the stone lip, fully dressed in his house guard's uniform.

"That's a neat trick," Kisuke chuckled, "You'll have to teach it to me sometime."

"I have to go. I am on duty now," Tetsuya said shortly, "Goodbye, Urahara-san."

"Now, I know I told you to call me…"

He shook his head as Tetsuya flash stepped away, and the shopkeeper began to slowly bathe himself.

"It's okay, kid," he sighed, "sometimes I hate myself too."

XXXXXXXXXX

Soft, familiar footfalls on the floor of his cell made Aizen Sosuke's lips smile under the restrictive bonds. He used this reiatsu to speak as the person approached him.

"Gin, I am glad you've come back."

He listened as three clicks sounded, and the bonds on his eye, face and mouth released.

"Ah, I can see you better now," Aizen said approvingly, as the silver-haired man moved towards him, carrying a tray of food.

As before, Gin set the tray on the table in front of the prisoner and silently began to feed him.

"I didn't hear the cell door open," Aizen noted, "This means that Kurotsuchi did not want anyone to know you were coming in here. Are you a secret, then? But, I suppose you would be, wouldn't you? If anyone knew he was playing with the dead body of a former taicho, even a disgraced one…well…they would be displeased. Will you look at me when I am talking to you, Gin?"

"No."

Aizen blinked and stared.

"So, he did make you able to speak. Good. Before, it was just boring. But, I imagine you won't initiate conversation. That would require thinking you don't have the capacity to do…yet."

Gin ignored him and continued to feed him. Aizen accepted the next bite of food and a swallow of water, then he coughed and sputtered, making Gin lean forward slightly to wipe the moisture from his lips and chin. Aizen invoked his power, taking over the dead taicho's senses and whispering into his ear.

"He's been dreadful to you, hasn't he? Not that you knew it before, but as you can sense when I awaken your nerves, he's been torturing you. Say what you want about me, but at least I killed you relatively quickly and didn't toy with you like this. There is a reason that I kept you close to me, Gin…and a reason that I will consider your death payment for your betrayal, and will help you live again!"

Although he gave no audible answer, Gin flinched.

"I have a gift for you, my sly little fox."

He smiled as Gin straightened.

"I want you to pleasure me, Gin," he said, smirking.

Wordlessly, Gin rose and set the table and chair aside. Then, he moved to the controls and altered the position of one key, so that Aizen's exposed eye was covered again, but his nether region was exposed.

"What a cruelty," he complained, "not to be able to look at you."

He heard soft swishes of clothing being moved, then Gin slid onto his lap. He joined their bodies slowly, resting his head on Aizen's securely strapped shoulder, and his hips moved methodically, at first. The bound taicho loosed his reiatsu, letting it seep into Gin's writhing body and bringing his senses more firmly under control.

"You are much better at this, when you are alive, Gin," Aizen breathed into his ear, sending a shiver rocketing through the dead taicho's insides, "Would you like to live again? And when you can think again, will you decide that you don't like the fact that they wouldn't forgive you? That they refused to let Rangiku bury you, and instead turned you over to that madman? Will you be angry enough to accept the damage you did to me before as your revenge? In short, if I call it even between us, will you do the same? Will you come back to me, and help me to do what I could not before? What will it take to convince you?"

His pleasure peaked, and he gave himself over to the pleasant throbs of climax, loosing a flood of semen and transcendent reiatsu into Gin's dead spirit core. As fresh warmth flooded Gin's body, the bound taicho swiftly employed his power to mask the ragged breaths that Gin began to draw. He covered up the fact that his heart was beating, and laid over him a vision Mayuri would expect to see, of Gin as just a dead, lumbering zombie. But as his power enthralled the man on his lap, Gin's blue eyes opened wide and even blinded, he could feel them gaze through the cruel straps, into his.

"Gin?" Aizen breathed, staring raptly at the blue shine that somehow reached him.

"Give it back, or I would rather stay dead."


	4. Foxtail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A newly revived Gin wastes no time in provoking Aizen.

“Give it back, or you’d rather be stay dead?” Aizen mused, his reiatsu flickering under the thick bonds, “You truly do have an obsession with that ridiculous woman, don’t you? I find it a bit disturbing that the first thing you thought upon being reawakened was wanting something for _her_. But, you lied to me about killing her, then you tried to kill me for taking that bit of her soul. Not to save Soul Society. Not to do the right thing. You wanted revenge for _her_! You should be thankful she’s not here and close enough for me to reach. I would kill her right now.”

Aizen’s breath caught at the sly smile that he sensed had risen on Gin’s lips.

“Oh, aren’t you dangerous,” he laughed softly, “Are you jealous, Sosuke?”

“Do you want to die for good this time?” Aizen asked, his eyes blazing under the bonds, “I could make your entire body turn to dust in a moment.”

“That’s definitely the scary man I remember,” Gin said, smirking, “but you don’t really have to be jealous of Rangiku. She’s only ever been a friend of mine. It’s just that I only have one friend, so I’m a little protective.”

“Protective enough to kill your lover?” Aizen asked, scowling, “But then, there was never anything but games between us. All of the time, you were simply chasing the way to get that piece of her soul back.”

“And all of that time, you were using me to help yourself to evolve,” Gin said, his voice dropping into a deadly serious tone, “Did you think I was surprised to see you strike your own last few Espadas down? To see you turn Tosen into a splash of blood on the broken buildings he landed on? I expected you would try to kill me, at some point, too. I only planned to kill you first. Can you really hate me for that? Besides, didn’t you say while you were invading my dead body…that you would call it even, if _I_ did?”

“Hmm…but then, your first words went right back to where we left off, didn’t they?”

“Well, it’s clear you don’t have to worry about me betraying and murdering you. You can’t die, can you?”

If he hadn’t been completely in tune with Aizen’s unspoken signals, Gin would have missed the moment of hesitation. He carefully feigned unawareness and looked down at their still joined bodies.

“I wonder what game you want to play now, Sosuke,” he sighed, looking pensive for a moment.

But he brightened quickly.

“Everything is on the table, isn’t it?” he mused, “And if you want to call it even, then I will also…with one caveat.”

Aizen’s lips curled slightly and Gin could sense the fire in the man’s eyes that he couldn’t see through the bindings.

“Give it back.”

He was sure he heard a little snarl escape Aizen, and his smile widened again.

“Give that piece of her soul back, and I will be happy not to ever try to kill you again.”

“Ah, well, that would work better for me if you were in a position to actually kill me…ever,” he said, recovering his own smirk.

He made a sound of surprise as Gin’s lips sought his amorously. Even more surprising was how easy it was to return the silver-haired man’s kiss. Gin’s hips moved provocatively, setting off a second, and much more delicious exchange of frenzied thrusts and tantalizing moans between the two.

“You _are_ so much better at this when you are alive,” Aizen teased, “I’m almost tempted to forgive you for your shameless fixation on that woman, and not kill you again.”

“Almost?” Gin repeated, writhing even more sensuously, “Come now, Sosuke, you can’t still be holding a grudge. I like Rangiku. She is my only friend. I’m not sleeping with her. I just want to give back to her what you took. You know that if you hadn’t stolen that piece of her soul, she would have achieved bankai. I would so much like to see Heineko’s true form. I don’t understand why you would need to hang on to that piece of her. If she’s as ridiculous and useless as you say, then why?”

Gin felt a sharp rise in the reiatsu around him and sensed too late the line he had stepped over. He wrapped his arms tightly around Aizen’s bound body, pressing his cheek to the prisoner’s and closing his eyes as they climaxed together.

“I like Rangiku, but you are the one I love,” he whispered, flinching at the angry sting on his skin that Aizen’s anger caused, “If you think I’m shamelessly devoted to her, then just imagine what lengths I would go to for the man I love…”

A throb of intense fear radiated suddenly through the length of Gin’s body as Aizen’s power wrapped around him, and he was sure that the man joined with him had simply reached the ends of his tolerance and was about to carry through on his threat to vaporize him, then and there. But, although he felt some kind of change in his body, he knew he still lived and breathed. Something wrapped around his throat and he grabbed at it, sure that he was about to be strangled by whatever it was.

He blinked in surprise and stared down at the stunning red pendant that hung on a silver chain around his neck.

“What is this?” he asked, tilting his head to look more closely.

His heart skipped painfully in his chest as he felt the familiar touch of Rangiku’s friendly reiatsu.

“It is what you asked me for,” Aizen said calmly, “You were so insistent, I didn’t feel we were going to get anywhere with that in between us. So…”

“So, what is the catch,” Gin said, his lips unsmiling.

“The catch,” Aizen said, smirking again, “is that you will not be able to give that back to her until you carry out a task for me.”

Gin breathed out a huff of air through his nose and his frown deepened.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked skeptically, “I do hope it’s nothing too boring. I’ve got things to do, now that I’m alive.”

“Of course,” Aizen agreed smoothly, “I understand. After experiencing death, you want to fully enjoy being alive again. And so, you will. But…I want you to join me in renewing my efforts to reach the royal realm.”

Gin gave him a measured look.

“Still focused on that, eh?” he sighed, “Really, Sosuke…you already know that you need the king’s key to get into the royal realm. You couldn’t make it last time. What makes you think you’ll have any more success this time? I’m sure if Ichigo beat you once, he can beat you again.”

Aizen laughed softly.

“You missed a few things while you were dead,” he commented.

“So, it seems,” Gin agreed, “What’s the story now? The king is worse than the prisoner in a crystal prison that he was before?”

Aizen’s smile became wicked, and his eyes gleamed.

“I sensed his death,” he whispered, “while I was briefly freed to assist the shinigamis in killing the quincy king, Ywach.”

“Ywach,” Gin repeated, “Oh, I remember us going to see him. I didn’t like him at all!”

“It’s all right,” Aizen purred, “He’s dead too.”

“Good.”

“If I understand the situation correctly, I imagine that Squad Zero has harnessed the power of his body, and they are using that to maintain the balance.”

“Good heavens,” Gin mused, “that’s worse than the barely living king we had before. I don’t like that a bit. I mean, who’s running things now? Central 46? The ones who gave me to that Kurotsuchi bastard to play with?”

“I thought you might be willing when you learned that,” Aizen chuckled, “I don’t know about you, but I think that those lying noble lords need the firm hand of a king who can actually lead them. Wouldn’t you agree, Gin?”

Gin took a deep breath and released it slowly, sliding off Aizen’s lap and stepping back, carefully out of the man’s range.

“I’ll have to think about that, for a bit,” he said, the edges of his lips curving upward, “After all, I’m not transcendent like you. The hogyoku isn’t protecting me, like it protects you. If I help you, you’re just going to kill me, at some point, when I’m done being useful to you.”

“Wrong,” Aizen replied, making Gin stiffen and stare at him in silent wonder, “When I gave you that pendant, I also bound your soul to mine. You must have felt it, didn’t you?”

Gin stared back at him, wordlessly.

“Your fate and mine are entwined. What one suffers, the other will suffer as well. It seems the only way to ensure we both keep up our end of the bargain we make, ne Gin?”

“But even if you can’t kill me, someone else could, couldn’t they?” Gin countered, “I know you would never leave yourself so vulnerable.”

“I’m not so vulnerable as you think,” Aizen said slyly, “because with the hogyoku, I have made you transcendent also. There are still some things that can kill us, but those are few and far between. Ichigo is certainly one, although he probably wouldn’t unless we directly threatened his family or friends.”

“I’d rather not, if you don’t mind,” Gin said, smirking, “I sort of like Ichigo.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to have another friend you want to protect,” Aizen said dryly.

“But you seemed to like him too,” Gin pointed out.

“So I do. But we will have to be careful of him. Squad Zero could prove troublesome, and of course, in the royal realm, there are some spirit demons with sufficient chaotic reiatsu to be a danger. But mostly, we shouldn’t be troubled with threats of death, at least not until we reach the royal realm.”

“And how do you plan to get in? Are you going to make a key?”

“No. I don’t need to make one. I know where to find one.”

“Oh, is that right?” Gin asked, beaming, “Where would that be?”

“I think I’ll just keep that to myself, for now,” Aizen chuckled, “Release me, and we’ll go right now to get it. You do want to give back that piece of Rangiku’s soul as soon as possible, right? And I know that you entered my cell without using the guarded door, so you must have a way out, ne?”

“I do,” Gin said, grinning, “See, Kurotsuchi wanted his dead Gin toy to be efficient at moving around without being seen, so he programmed in all of the secret tunnels here. I can get in or out at any time. He never expected me to come to life, so I can go where I want.”

“We should go then, preferably before the next guard change. The ones coming on are cowardly, but they enjoy tormenting me from a distance.”

“How rude,” Gin mused, rubbing his chin, “I do so hate the idea of someone helplessly being used against his will.”

Aizen laughed softly.

“Well, in all fairness, you were dead, so you didn’t have a will. And it was Kurotsuchi who turned you into a zombie and abused you. I brought you back to life.”

“By invading my body, for whatever reason, without asking,” Gin reminded him, tilting his head slightly, “You were pretty brutish, yourself. Besides, someone like you doesn’t need the likes of me to escape. I’m ready to bet my new life that you can get out, now that I’m giving you some real incentive.”

“Gin…” Aizen growled.

Gin laughed and removed the keys from the locking mechanism, then he looked back at Aizen’s fully bound body.

“Goodbye for now, Sosuke,” he giggled, “Don’t keep me waiting too long, okay?”

Oddly, despite the chaotic fury that radiated all around the bound man, he couldn’t quite suppress a smile as he heard Gin’s footsteps fade into the distance.

_Well played, my sly little fox. And you were right. I do have a way to escape. I will see you soon, Gin._

He bristled as he heard the guarded door to his cell open, and the footsteps of several men approached.

_What a nuisance. But, there is always the chance that one of these foolish ones will come too close._

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya crossed Kuchiki Manor gardens, heading up, onto the wooden walkway, where he paused in the doorway to Byakuya’s study and bowed respectfully.

“Byakuya-sama, you…”

He paused, blinking in surprise at finding Byakuya absent, and the Karakura shopkeeper kneeling on a pillow in front of his cousin’s table.

“Oh, Urahara-san, I thought that my cousin called me to report here.”

“He did,” Kisuke said, smiling at Tetsuya’s confused expression, “Byakuya-san and Renji had to go pretty suddenly to see Kyoraku sotaicho, so your cousin asked me to accompany you to Central 46 for Aizen’s next health check. I’ll be taking notes on Aizen’s condition, and Byakuya-san wants you to heal any injuries after they’re documented.”

“I see,” Tetsuya replied, looking down at the floor and shifting uncomfortably, “Very well. Arashi is outside. We can leave now, if you wish.”

Kisuke paused, studying the younger man’s conflicted expression briefly before continuing.

“Tetsuya-san, maybe it would be good for the two of us to talk a little, before we leave,” he suggested, “Will you come and sit down for a minute?”

Tetsuya hesitated for a moment, then nodded and moved to join the shopkeeper at Byakuya’s table.

“Koji,” Tetsuya intoned softly, “will you bring tea for two to Byakuya-sama’s study?”

A young man with short black hair and friendly green eyes appeared in the study doorway.

“I will be right back with that, Tetsuya-san,” he answered.

“Thank you, Koji.”

Tetsuya turned his attention back to the waiting shopkeeper. He bit his lip gently, blushing as he spoke.

“I owe Urahara-san an apology for my rudeness at the waterfall. I was just…surprised by you, and I reacted improperly to your questions.”

“Well,” Kisuke said, his smile brightening, “I wasn’t exactly being polite, myself. I should apologize to you for my rudeness. I shouldn’t be butting into your private business.”

A guilty look overtook Tetsuya’s face, earning him a curious look from Kisuke.

“I have to admit,” Tetsuya confessed, “it is because of my capacity here, as Byakuya-sama’s head of house security that I know more than the average person, about Urahara-san and his… _activities_ as a scientist in Karakura Town. Although I rarely leave Soul society to travel to the living world, I am briefed on everything that crosses Byakuya-sama’s desk, and I am one of the sources he uses for gathering information. In short, I saw notes on the research you did on the vizard taichos when Aizen Sosuke corrupted them. I know that your intention, then, as it usually is, was to help them.”

Tetsuya paused and took an uneasy breath, but he let it out again as Kisuke laid a warm hand on his.

“It’s okay,” Kisuke assured him, “So, you know that I step over the lines of propriety at times, and that bothers you. It’s okay to say that to me. I happen to be pretty comfortable with people not always agreeing with my methods. It’s not important for us to agree on that.”

“It’s not?” Tetsuya mused, giving him an uncertain look.

“No,” Kisuke assured him, “You can dislike what I do. What I don’t want you to do is to be worried that I will do something hurtful to you, or to the people you care about. Because, that’s really what’s making you uncomfortable, isn’t it? You were held in a prison, and awful things were done to you and to people you cared about, by scientists who knew that they did not have to answer for any damage they did, _ne_?”

Tetsuya took a little breath and nodded, relaxing slightly.

“I think if you look a little differently at the two, you’ll see that I may use some unsavory methods, at times, but I only do so when there is no other way to solve extremely big problems, like…how to avoid Central 46 killing the taichos that Aizen infected and hollowfied, how to stop surviving bounts from destroying the Seireitei or how to stop an Aizen or a Ywach from taking over. You see, I do step over lines, but I try to stay within them as much as I can. And I swear to you that I will never lay a hand on you without your consent, or if you are too injured, your cousin’s. I want you to feel safe when you are with me, and right now, you look at me like I’m a threat.”

“I don’t mean to,” Tetsuya, “I just feel a little strange when I’m near you.”

Kisuke’s smile warmed and his eyes softened.

“Well, I have a feeling that what you and I are being affected by…is some pretty strong resonance.”

Tetsuya looked ready to object, but at that moment, Koji entered the room, bearing the tea tray. He set it on the desk and poured out the tea, his green eyes taking quick note of the slightly flustered look on his master’s face, and the smile on the Karakura shopkeeper’s.”

“Thank you, Koji,” Tetsuya said quietly, “That will be all.”

He waited as his attendant left the room, then he turned his attention back to Kisuke.

“Urahara-san,” he said, forcing calm into his voice, “what exactly do you want from me?”

“Ah,” Kisuke said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, “how about we start by being friends? You know, you call me Kisuke and I’ll call you Tetsuya.”

“I…I don’t know…” Tetsuya stammered, blushing more brightly, “I…”

“It’s easy,” Kisuke laughed, “Try it. Hello, Kisuke.”

The two looked up as Byakuya appeared in the doorway with Renji at his side. The Kuchiki leader’s dark eyes took in the shopkeeper’s smile and the flustered look on his cousin’s face and his reiatsu thickened noticeably.

“Urahara Kisuke, were you and Tetsuya not supposed to go to Central 46 to see to Aizen’s health check?”

Tetsuya gave Byakuya a helpless look and Kisuke smiled and shrugged.

“We got delayed,” he explained, “I’ve never worked with Tetsuya alone, and I wanted to get to know him before going into Aizen’s cell with him. I mean, you must also think it’s important that I know your cousin well enough that I would be able to recognize if Aizen starts playing with Tetsuya, while your cousin is healing him, right?”

“Well, as we have returned early, I will just accompany Tetsuya, myself.”

“You don’t want a little backup, Taicho?” Renji asked, flinching at the stern look the noble gave him in reply.

Kisuke nodded in agreement with the redhead.

“It’s probably advisable to have someone hang back a little and observe,” he suggested, “and you did ask me here to assist you with this particular task.”

“Hmm,” Byakuya mused, frowning and glancing at Tetsuya, who looked quietly down at his folded hands, “Tetsuya, what would you prefer? Do you wish to go with me alone, with Renji, or with… _him_?”

Tetsuya paused, thinking carefully, then met Byakuya’s eyes squarely.

“I think we are safer with Urahara-san there,” he answered, glancing at the shopkeeper.

Renji cleared his throat and nodded.

“I’ll uh, just go back to headquarters and wait for your there, okay, Taicho? I’ll have dinner waiting.”

“Very well. Thank you, Renji.”

Byakuya watched his fukutaicho leave, then headed towards the garden doors, with Tetsuya and Kisuke following.

“Hey,” Kisuke said under his breath, “Tetsuya, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“You are welcome.”

“But, can you just call me Kisuke?”

“No,” Tetsuya whispered, “You are my elder by a bit, and I know that look my cousin was giving me. Byakuya-sama wouldn’t like it.”

“Ouch,” Kisuke snickered, “Okay.”

He bit his lip to hide a smile as Byakuya looked back at the two of them and followed the two to where Tetsuya’s stallion stood waiting.


	5. When the Cherry Bough Breaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gin makes two new friends as he escapes Central 46.

Gin slipped out the hidden exit from Central 46 and quickly melted into a forested area that afforded him much needed cover.

_No one is looking for me, at least until that dastardly Kurotsuchi realizes I’m gone. But, even if he knows I’m gone, he doesn’t know I’m alive. Maybe he’ll think Sosuke destroyed me…and hopefully, as mad as he might be about me leaving him in Muken, Sosuke will just let him believe that, rather than betraying my circumstances to him._

_It’s all moves and countermoves…smoke and mirrors…games upon games, and…_

A little whimper reached Gin suddenly, managing somehow to derail his thoughts and bring his eyes about to focus on the source of the interruption, a small but strangely radiant white fox with large, friendly violet colored eyes. The little creature looked to be soaking wet, and laid, trapped and struggling in a tangle of debris in a river, swollen by recent rains. He blinked at the little flicker inside the soft looking animal gave him. For just a moment, he recalled being a boy in the Rukongai and finding a red haired girl collapsed on the ground, suffering from intense hunger.

“Well,” he chuckled, walking to the edge of the water, “you’ve gotten yourself into a little predicament, haven’t you?”

The little fox locked eyes with the silver-haired man and began to emit more shrill and insistent howling yelps.

“Now, now, don’t panic,” he laughed, wading into the rushing water, “I’ve got you. Just don’t bite me, okay?”

The white fox whined and hung her pink tongue out, panting as she waited. Gin moved into the deeper water, enjoying the little chill that went through his now living body as it soaked his thin yukata.

_Even being uncomfortable and alive is better than being dead. I wonder of Sosuke purposely left me with memories of what I suffered in death, or if he just didn’t think of removing them._

_It is Sosuke, so he probably did it intentionally, the bastard._

_How typical._

Gin felt a tugging on his body and realized that he was being pulled by the surprisingly strong current. He worked his arms and legs harder, propelling himself towards the trapped fox.

_I was always a good swimmer. I’m only struggling because my body was dead for a long time, and I have to adjust to being alive again. My muscles and other tissues are recovering, but I need more time to reach full recovery._

_That…could be a problem._

He reached out a hand and dragged himself onto the tangled mass of branches, dirt and debris. The little fox barked excitedly, stretching and fighting to move in his direction. Gin panted hard, smiling as he focused his attention on the baby fox.

“Give me a minute, here, all right?” he laughed, “I just need to catch my breath.”

The fox barked more urgently, and Gin frowned as he realized that his arrival on the debris pile had shifted it slightly, and it was now beginning to move.

 _Oh, this is no good_ , he mused, _As much as I am alive now, I haven’t regained my reiatsu enough to just flash step or use any powers. This is not turning out the way I expected. How stupid would it be to drown now, when I’ve just regained my life?_

_I don’t know whether to laugh or cry._

_Perhaps trying not to die would be a better use of my time, eh?_

“Are you ready to take a little swim, kitsune-chan?”

The fox tilted her head and blinked, letting her tongue hang out almost comically.

“I think it’s swim or drown right here,” he insisted, reaching out and gathering the shivering creature under an arm.

He took a steadying breath and pushed off, almost instantly regretting not taking more time to think things through as the water became rougher, and spun him around, sinking the two for a dread moment, before they surfaced, coughing and sputtering. The fox managed a gurgling bark and bit down on Gin’s yukata, clenching her jaws tightly as the shinigami fought the wicked current and scrambled towards the shore. He was still too far away and nearly out of breath, when he heard something pounding on the ground nearby, then a shrill, squealing neigh reached him.

_What’s this?_

_I’ve felt this reiatsu before…_

As the water spun him around again, he spotted a tall, handsome black Arabian stallion, pacing them on the shore of the river. The stallion’s oddly brilliant sapphire eyes focused on them, and inexplicably, Gin heard a faint, wispy voice sound in his mind.

_I’ve got you._

Gin’s breath caught as a tingling feeling erupted all over his body, and for a moment, everything disappeared into a sea of blinding blue light. The next thing he knew, he stood on the shore of the river, dripping wet, his body shaking, and his arms still holding on to the equally shaky white fox. He gazed wordlessly up into the stallion’s bright eyes, working to catch his breath.

“I s-suppose th-thanks are in order,” he stammered, shivering.

_Oh, sorry, I forgot._

Another strange flicker of power went through the two wet creatures, then Gin felt returning warmth as he realized that all of the water had somehow disappeared. The little fox in his arms gave her tiny body a good shake and her fur fluffed out suddenly, turning her into what looked like a little puff of white cotton candy.

“Thank you,” Gin said again, looking up at the pretty stallion, “though how you did all of that is a little unclear to me. Are you a real spirit steed?”

The horse blinked slowly and lowered his head to give the little fox in Gin’s arms a tentative nuzzle. The fox yipped and licked the surprised horse’s nose, making him lift his head and cross his eyes, blinking at the sensation.

“Well, well, do you at least have a name you can tell me?” Gin asked.

_I am Arashi._

“And to whom do you belong?”

_To whom do I belong?_

Gin smiled and opened his eyes wider, meeting Arashi’s gaze curiously.

“Well, you’re something more than just a spirit steed after all, so I apologize if I insulted you with that. I just thought that having a power like a shinigami, maybe you are attached in some way to one. It doesn’t sound like simple ownership at all. Anyway, I am grateful for the assistance, as is my little…”

Gin paused, mid sentence, looking down and finding his curled arms empty.

“Hmm?”

He looked around and smirked at finding the little fox underneath a small cherry tree, making repeated jumps into the air and trying to reach the fruit that hung tantalizingly, just beyond her reach.

“Ah…”

The stallion turned towards the tree, using his head to lower one of the branches. The little fox jumped again reaching out with her tiny jaws and snapping them shut again. Gin let out a delighted laugh as the kit’s teeth dug into the branch and the little fox was left awkwardly hanging.

“Very good,” he said, clapping his hands, “That tree won’t get away from you now, will it?”

He walked to the cherry tree and recaptured the little animal in his hands, then held her as she wrapped her mouth around one of the cherries and started to swallow it whole.

“Oh, don’t eat the pit!” Gin warned her.

The fox’s body stiffened for a moment, then she expelled the pit forcefully, making Arashi jump aside.

“Goodness, you’re pretty dangerous, aren’t you?” Gin laughed, “Well, it’s been a pleasure. But I have to try to find some shelter now, as I don’t exactly have a home here. At least, I don’t have a home anymore.”

 _Is there somewhere I can carry you?_ The horse offered, _I have to be back to rejoin my shinigami counterpart when he calls, but I could take you where you need to go, as he will probably be awhile yet._

Gin thought carefully for a moment.

_If Kurotsuchi finds me gone, he may expect me to go somewhere I would have remembered from before. He said he looked into my memories. But…he is not expecting me to be alive, and even if he does figure out where I am going, there is one safe place, and one place that Sosuke will definitely look for me._

Gin looked up at Arashi and nodded.

“Yes, thank you again, Arashi. There is somewhere I would like to go.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Aizen Sosuke rested calmly in his bonds, patently ignoring the stinging wounds recently inflicted on h is body and waiting for the soft footsteps that he expected he would hear again soon.

 _Our fates are entwined_ , he mused, _though you are so innocent of knowing. Such a white, pure soul you are, Kuchiki Tetsuya._

He could almost see the now older and stronger version of the boy that he had discovered in the hidden noble’s prison called Itamigiri. His inner eye imagined Tetsuya, dressed as he had been before, in the navy blue livery of the Kuchiki house guards and marked with the healer’s symbol. Although he always walked in Byakuya’s shadow and he never called attention to himself, he was about to become the center of an unforeseen torrent.

_You have no idea who you are, do you?_

He smiled as Tetsuya’s approaching footfalls somehow reached through his bonds and filled his ears.

_You don’t know what you are._

The footsteps echoed increasingly more loudly.

_There is already a bond between us, Kuchiki Tetsuya, one that opened up the day I found you there. I looked down at you, and I saw it. At first, I didn’t even know what I was looking at. It was something unimaginable, something that could never be attached to a weak little soul like yours was. But…some creatures are born to a destiny. When I looked down at you, and I realized what was fused with you, I also realized that I could use you. I protected you, so that you would live. I let you take your place at Byakuya’s side and made sure not to bring any attention to you. But…it was always my intention to come back to find you. Had my plans before come to fruition, I would have taken you with me when I ascended into the heavens. After all, there is one thing that I would need to rightfully claim my place as soul king…and that thing is a part of you, one that I need to keep you alive to employ._

_Come now, Tetsuya. This is the time for us. With you at my side, I don’t need to hope for victory. It is all but assured. Just a few more steps._

The cell door opened and Byakuya entered, flanked by his cousin and the Karakura shopkeeper. Byakuya stopped at the set of locks, employing the three keys he had been allowed and freeing Aizen’s eye and upper body. Tetsuya and Kisuke moved closer, with Kisuke hanging back slightly as Tetsuya reached the traitor and met his eyes for a moment.

_There is a reason, Tetsuya, that your eyes are the color of the brightest, most beautiful sky. Their radiance comes from the gift inside you, one that needs to go back to the heavens. Give me your eyes, Tetsuya, and let’s begin on the path to taking you and your gift to the place they came from._

“Byakuya-sama!” Tetsuya exclaimed, staring at the raw, fresh wounds on the prisoner’s torso.

Kisuke moved and took images of the injuries, then nodded for Tetsuya to continue. Radiant blue light rose around the younger Kuchiki’s slender hands as he began to heal the awful bloody markings.

 _You instinctively know the truth, don’t you?_ Aizen mused, staring in wonder at Tetsuya, _You would call it instinct, but through all of your life, something has been guiding you, hasn’t it?_

_It’s time._

_Set me free now, Tetsuya, and I will teach you the name of the power that lives in you._

Aizen’s power leaked out of his body, passing easily through the bright healing glow of Tetsuya’s power and invading the young man’s body, taking over his senses.

_Release me._

_They won’t see now._

_You are all under my influence. All of you have been hypnotized before, and it is all too easy to recapture the senses of those I have hypnotized before._

He laughed inwardly as Tetsuya’s hands withdrew, and the young man stood and looked back at his cousin. Tetsuya breathed a soft command, and in that instant, Aizen felt blue light wrap around him and move him. When his awareness returned, he stood at the set of locks, and it was a deeply hypnotized Byakuya who was imprisoned in the restrictive bonds.

“My apologies, Byakuya,” he laughed softly, “Of all of the nobles, you are the one who least deserves what you will face in here. But I need to be close to Tetsuya, so that the next phase of my plan can move forward. I’m sure you’ll understand. And as a show of my gratitude, I will be gentle with you. Your senses will be scrambled, so that you won’t feel the torture you’ll suffer. Consider it a gift from your true king. And know that…all debts of the past will be paid when I ascend. Those truly worthy will not have to fear me.”

He watched silently as Tetsuya finished the healing, then turned back with Kisuke to join him. He marveled at the ease with which he walked out of the cell, passing the guards and heading out of Central 46 unchallenged.

“So, Byakuya, are you planning to tell Kyoraku what’s going on here?” Kisuke asked.

Aizen tilted his head slightly, considering.

“Of course,” he answered, “A full investigation needs to be started to identify and punish the ones who are doing this. Whatever the man has done, torture was not a part of his sentence. It is an egregious act and it will be stopped now.”

Kisuke smiled.

“Aizen should thank his lucky stars there’s someone who still cares about justice.”

He glanced back at the Central 46 compound with troubled eyes.

“You didn’t receive justice from them either,” Aizen said quietly.

“No, I didn’t. I was blamed for Aizen’s treachery and banished,” Kisuke recalled, “Although, I guess it worked out better for everyone that was the case. After all, it put me in the perfect position to help Ichigo.”

“Yes, it did.”

Kisuke frowned and stared more intently at the compound.

“Is something wrong?” Aizen asked.

“No, no, Byakuya-san,” the shopkeeper said, smiling thoughtfully, “I was just thinking that not even bad things have to be all bad.”

“No,” Aizen agreed, glancing at Tetsuya for a moment, “Good and evil exist in a careful balance. When one is too strong, it raises the other.”

“That’s an odd thing for you to say,” the shopkeeper mused, “But then, you get a lot of wisdom from all of those resources in your family’s archives, right?”

“Yes,” Aizen agreed, “and if you will excuse Tetsuya and me, we will be going to spend the evening there.”

“Ah, some relaxing.”

“Yes. Good evening then.”

“See you.”

Kisuke smiled at Tetsuya, who blushed, but held his gaze tentatively.

“See you soon, Tetsuya,” he said, nodding.

“Good evening, Kisuke-san.”

The shopkeeper blinked in surprise and Byakuya’s head turned to observe his cousin curiously.

Kisuke gave Tetsuya a little wink and flash stepped away. Aizen, still posing as Byakuya, met Tetsuya’s eyes intently.

“Kisuke-san?” he repeated, “Tetsuya, will you tell me? What are your feelings for Urahara Kisuke.

_Because your emotions matter more than your realize._

_If you are drawn to him, then it is a matter of fate._


	6. The Red Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aizen continues his games, while Gin plots his own...Oh, a little disclaimer! Aizen does something kind of wicked, and some people sensitive to "consent issues" might take offense. But it is something that Aizen would do, and it is storyline dictated, not something I condone personally. Anyway, I thought I should say that so sensitive folks would have a warning.

Still wrapped in his illusion and appearing as Byakuya, Sosuke gazed intently at Tetsuya’s flushed face and lowered eyes, while the young man took a shaky breath and worked to gather himself.

“Wh-what I feel for Urahara-san?” Tetsuya repeated, “He is a talented scientist, and his actions, although sometimes dubious, have saved Soul Society numerous…”

“Tetsuya,” Aizen said, narrowing his eyes, “I did not ask you to give me the man’s resume, I asked you how you _feel_ about him.”

“I didn’t misunderstand,” Tetsuya said, shifting uneasily, “I am just… _unused to_ Byakuya-sama asking me something like that.”

Tetsuya’s frown deepened, and Aizen felt a touch of intense arousal at how dangerously close the young man was to already unmasking him.

_Of course, he knows Byakuya so very well that it makes sense he would begin to notice that little things. He’s just reaching that point much more quickly than I expected. Hmm._

“I am asking you to use your instincts to assess the connection between the two of you.”

He studied Tetsuya for a moment, noting the little flicker his words caused.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Well, you just said that you were wondering about our connection, and I will confess to you that Urahara-san noticed that there is a surprisingly strong resonance between us.”

Aizen had to work to not let Byakuya’s lips smile too much in response.

“A strong resonance, you say?” he said, tapping his chin gently with a pale fingertip, “Hmm, it seems that, as much as that man annoys me, that suggests that the two of you need to explore that connection.”

“B-byakuya-sama…?” Tetsuya stammered, “You know that I…scientists…they…”

“Ah yes,” Aizen said, making Tetsuya’s breath catch as he slipped a cool hand underneath his chin and lifted it, so that their eyes met directly. Tetsuya froze under Aizen’s spell, and the former taicho bored down into those eyes, sensing carefully.

_So…perhaps this is how what is within you will finally awaken? You will explore your connection with him, and it will…?_

“Tetsuya, although I sympathize with your feelings about his occupation, I think your own instincts are telling you that you need to explore this connection the two of you have. I want you to go now and have tea with the man.”

“H-have tea?” Tetsuya repeated, blinking and flushing brightly, “Now?”

Aizen looked in the direction of the Kuchiki archive.

“Yes. I want you to go to him now. I will be in the archive.”

“Of course, Byakuya-sama,” Tetsuya answered.

The young man still looked somewhat ambivalent, but he fell in with his cousin and the two walked quietly back to Kuchiki Manor. Aizen watched Tetsuya turn towards Kisuke’s guest room, then he headed to the archive entrance and paused, his mind working.

_I feel the strong protections on it, but there must be a way to fool whatever secures this. I will figure it…_

In mid-thought, he was derailed by warm tattooed arms that wrapped around him and the _brushing of rough lips brushing against the side of his neck._

“Hello, beautiful,” Renji breathed against his skin, delighting little tingles, “Now, you don’t think you’re going to spend all evening here in that old library instead of being with me.”

 _Do you know how close to dying you are, Abarai Renji?_ Aizen mused, _Ah, but you don’t have any idea, because you don’t know I’m not your beloved taicho._

“Why’d you stand me up for dinner?” Renji asked, not sounding angry at all, “Something on your mind?”

“Hmm, there are more than a few, actually,” he said in Byakuya’s voice, “Renji…”

“Oh, no you don’t!” the redhead said, shaking his head, “You’re not going to cancel on me. You promised me dinner and that we’d have sex.”

“Abarai, what have I told you about being too casual where other people…!”

He broke off as Renji pushed him up against the side of the building next to them, and he invaded the noble’s mouth roughly. Aizen started to shove him away, but all at once, a wicked gleam came into his eyes.

_Hmm, a little dig at Byakuya and this fool, a little bit of pleasure for myself, and a little reassurance that Gin doesn’t get too full of himself. I’ll make sure that he senses it!_

“You want sex, Renji?” he said, locking the redhead in place with the intensity of his gaze.

“Ah, sorry, I was too loud,” Renji said, beginning to deflate.

Aizen’s hand clenched the front of Renji’s uniform, and he yanked the taller man closer, so that their noses were almost touching.

“It’s all right,” he said dulcetly, “I am more than happy to chastise you properly for it. Come, Renji, we will see to that immediately.”

“Wh-wha? Huh? We will?” the redhead yelped, his heart skittering madly as he was dragged back to Byakuya’s bedroom.

Several minutes later, Renji laid, naked and kido bound on Byakuya’s bed, with a disguised Aizen leaning over him and smiling wickedly.

“Heheh,” the redhead laughed nervously, “What’s gotten into you? I mean, I don’t mind bottoming sometimes. You know that, Taicho, but…”

_He calls Byakuya “Taicho” while they are in bed together?_

_Amusing._

“You come into my home and you embarrass me by trumpeting your intent to abuse me in my own home?” he asked scathingly.

“Ah…ah, no…I mean, I did, but I didn’t…OW!”

Renji yelped as Aizen snapped a kido crop he had conjured, swatting the redhead’s tattooed bottom. He kept Byakuya’s expression calm, despite how riled he was getting.

“Shit!”

“You are…aroused by this?” Aizen asked.

“Fuck! Shit! Y-yes!” Renji panted, “Geez, I never thought…ACK!”

He loosed another yelp as the kido whip struck him again.

Aizen moved in close.

“I feel inspired today,” he breathed hotly in Renji’s ear, “Prepare yourself, Renji. I am not holding back.”

“Oh god, I think I’ve died and gone to heaven!” Renji howled, “I’ve been wishin’ you would do something like this, but I was afraid to ask! I thought you’d be mad.”

“Oh,” Aizen said, moving in and taking up a position for entry, “I assure you, I am the farthest thing from angry…Renji.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Gin opened the front door of the cabin the horse had brought him to, and he stepped inside, looking around with a darkly wondering question.

“Looks like we just walked out of here,” he whispered, “Like a day ain’t passed.”

He made a sound of surprise as the little fox kit burst past him and ran into the cabin, where she proceeded to sniff around, waving her white tail like a little flag.

“Curious, aren’t you?” Gin chuckled, “All right, Cherry-chan. Have a look around. Just don’t pee in here. I’ll let you out if you need to go, okay?”

The little fox yipped in response.

Gin stepped forward, ghosts of memory swirling around him.

_He stood at the sink, working quietly and whistling to himself as he prepared two plates of fresh sushi and steamed rice. He was nearly done, when he was grabbed from behind and turned round forcefully, then driven down onto the counter, just missing their dinner._

_“Too hungry to wait, are you?” Gin laughed, spreading his thighs as Aizen’s hand slid beneath his clothes and he invaded the silver-haired man’s mouth voraciously._

_Gin moaned loudly at the impatience in the barely wetted fingers that hastily prepared him. He groaned at the sting of pain that followed as Aizen joined their bodies, but all he could feel emotionally was delight._

_“Gin…” Aizen panted in his ear, thrusting into his equally eager partner._

_“Don’t hold back!” Gin hissed as Aizen’s hands wrapped around his writhing bottom, and he lifted Gin and placed him on the counter._

_Heedless of the food that they were upsetting, the two raged against each other heatedly, raising the reiatsu in the cabin until the windows rattled and the logs creaked warningly._

_“Oh! Oh!” Gin gasped, “You’re goin’ easy on me. Harder, Sosuke! Faster!”_

_He half expected to be put in his place, but, caught up in his passions, Aizen complied immediately, and Gin was barely able to hang on as their bodies slammed together, separated, then collided again, earth shakingly._

_“Beautiful! So beautiful!” Gin moaned._

Cherry-chan’s little whimper brought him suddenly out of his reverie, and he realized that just the memory had caused a thickening of the reiatsu in the building.

“Sorry.”

He sighed and calmed his burgeoning reiatsu, looking around the room and sighing.

_I wonder how long it will take him to escape. I hope it doesn’t take forever. This’ll be boring if I’m here alone for too long._

“But, I’m not alone, am I Che-Che?” he said, shortening the fox’s name, “You know, you’re pretty good company. Tell you what. Let’s go steal Sosuke’s comb and groom you a little. Sound like fun?”

The little fox yipped.

Gin laughed and led Cherry to the bathroom, where he dug around until he found a proper sized comb for the job. He led the kit back to the sofa and coaxed onto it, then he sat with the little fox on his lap, starting at her head and slowly combing her fur, until her coats was silky, smooth and shining.

“That looks so much better! You look like a spoiled pet now, don’t you? Are you hungry?”

He knew very well that there would be food in the refrigerator, as Aizen had enchanted it long ago to replace what was taken from it.

_I’m not totally sure if the food is real or just a very powerful illusion that tricks the body, but hey, if it works and I’m not hungry, right?_

He chopped up some fresh beef and set it on the floor, then watched as the little fox dove onto the plate and wolfed down the entire meal in seconds.

“Well, I don’t know whether to be appalled by your bad manners or flattered you like it so much,” Gin mused.

He was more leisurely, making his own food, and he was even more relaxed as he sat eating it.

_It makes me a little sick that I can still remember being dead. That Kurotsuchi is a very sick, perverted man. If I didn’t have to worry about being recaptured, I would make him pay. Still, I am alive now, so…_

He paused, considering quietly.

_Sosuke was an asshole about it…but he did bring me back to life. And now, the games are starting all over again._

_Should I be afraid…or should I be excited?_

Gin’s face grew a huge, crooked smile.

_Oh, definitely excited!_

He felt sudden flickers of his former lover’s reiatsu radiating in the distance. Piqued, he narrowed his eyes, focusing on the oddly intense sensations. The little leaked bits spun in the air around Gin, brushing against him and delivering short flashes of what was happening.

Gin’s smile faded and his lips curled petulantly. His blue eyes opened, radiating ice cold fury.

_With Abarai Renji now?_

_Really, Sosuke?_

_How insulting._

_You really are a bastard sometimes._

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya paused outside Kisuke’s guest room, his heart racing almost painfully. He carefully rehearsed what to say, then he knocked lightly on the door frame.

“Ah, Tetsuya, come in,” the shopkeeper greeted him, “What’s going on?”

“Ah…erm, Byakuya-sama is busy, but we have tea service about this time, so he has asked me to entertain you.”

“Is that right?” Kisuke chuckled, “You going to sing to me or something?”

“Oh, that is funny, Kisuke-san,” Tetsuya acknowledged, “Koji has gone to make tea. We can go out to the gazebo. The weather is really nice outside.”

“Yeah, it is,” Kisuke agreed, “but I’m really trying to get through some reading, here. “

“Oh,” Tetsuya said, blushing, “it’s fine. I will just see you later then.”

He started to turn out into the gardens, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned back, nearly running into the shopkeeper, and the two ended up, face to face. For a moment, they just stared, then Kisuke leaned forward impulsively, engaging Tetsuya’s surprised mouth in a long, passionate kiss. Tetsuya stiffened at first, reeling at the warmth of the other man’s seeking tongue, then he found himself kissing Kisuke back. It took several minutes of intense kissing before the two could separate themselves, and when they did, they couldn’t miss the warm blue glow that had ignited in their bodies.

“Resonance,” Kisuke said breathlessly, “Wow…”

“But, I don’t like scientists,” Tetsuya whispered, “They frighten me.”

Kisuke smiled and kissed him on the nose.

“Then…to you, I’m just the candy shop guy from Karakura Town,” Kisuke laughed, “I promise not to do any creepy experiments to scare you.”

Tetsuya looked quietly into the shopkeeper’s handsome pale grey eyes.

“I don’t think it’s good to lie to myself,” he said solemnly, “I will just have to learn to be a little stronger.”

“Well,” said Kisuke, “whether you know it or not, I have to be a little stronger to do this too. The last time I was in a relationship, it ended badly…very badly. I wasn’t sure I was ever going to feel this way again, but…you inspire me.”

Tetsuya gazed raptly into Kisuke’s eyes, almost smiling.

“You inspire me too.”

They kissed again, then Kisuke looked around.

“You know, maybe the reading can wait. I think I do want to relax a little before I get back down to it.”

“You wish to have tea with me now?” Tetsuya asked.

“How can I resist, with a sweet, tasty invitation like the one you gave me?” Kisuke laughed.

“But…I didn’t mean…!” Tetsuya sputtered, blushing.

“I know,” Kisuke assured him, slipping a hand into his, “Let’s take a little walk together, okay?”

“Oh, of course,” Tetusya said, calming slightly.

The two stepped out into the gardens, wandering down one of the trails, through a stand of blossoming sakura and past a large koi pond.

“It’s so beautiful here,” Kisuke sighed, “I don’t want to go back, you know?”

“Well, you are welcome to stay,” Tetsuya assured him, “There is no rush for you to return, is there? Aren’t you still working on something for Byakuya-sama?”

“Yeah, I am,” Kisuke affirmed, “I just find it hard, after all of the brow-beating Byakuya’s been giving the two of us, that he’d, just like that, tell you to come and hang out with me. Are you sure he won’t be mad?”

“Well, I was surprised when he asked me to entertain you,” Tetsuya admitted, “but given the strength of the resonance between us, I think we, at least need to try to understand the bond and address why it might be there. Romantic connections aside, resonances are said to be a royal gift…and those gifts are not just about carnal pleasures or even love. There is usually another reason why they exist.”

“You’re right about that,” Kisuke agreed, “There is usually a bigger reason. I also wonder what that could be.”

He sighed, taking Tetsuya’s slender hand in his and caressing it gently as they walked together.

“I do feel something powerful when I’m with you,” the shopkeeper confessed, “It has a feeling…a ring of fate to it. Tetsuya, I feel like I really need to understand you…all of you.”

He stopped the younger man under one of the trees.

“I know you don’t trust me yet, Tetsuya, but I want to reassure you that I will never do anything to hurt you. You believe that, don’t you?”

“I do,” Tetsuya agreed readily, “I am still afraid, but…I trust you.”

“You trust me?” Kisuke repeated, his heart melting in his chest, “I’m glad, Tetsuya. I promise I’ll never abuse that trust.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Aizen stood beside Byakuya’s bed, smiling down at the collapsed and deeply sleeping redhead.

“You were really quite wonderful,” he said appreciatively, “I do believe I underestimated you before. Now then, I suppose after a performance like that, you deserve a reward.”

He closed his eyes and laughed softly.

“Before I left the prison, I had Tetsuya leave a small amount of his reiatsu on Byakuya’s skin. And when we arrived here, I had him place a waterform here. So, with just a little act of will…”

His fingertips touched the waterform, and Byakuya appeared suddenly, and collapsed into Aizen’s arms. He undressed the noble, then laid him in the bed with Renji, smirking at the two.

“Pardon my rudeness, but I did need a temporary stand in, just so the alarm wouldn’t be sounded before I could escape. Don’t worry, Byakuya won’t remember ever being a prisoner. Perhaps, he will just assume he got drunk with you and, well, things happened. In any case, while you sleep, I am going to try again to enter the archive. Thank you for your help.”

He left the bedroom and turned in the direction of the Kuchiki archive.


End file.
